Michael Cassidy

Michael Cassidy (born 24 September 1936) is a South African Christian leader, evangelist, writer and founder of Africa Enterprise, known for his initiatives at ecumenism, and reconciliation on personal, church and political levels.

Early life He was born on 24 September 1936 in Johannesburg, South Africa, the son of Charles Stewart Cassidy and Mary Reading.. Michael Cassidy converted to Christianity in 1954 at the Harringay Arena in the United Kingdom during a Billy Graham crusade. Michael Cassidy cites Billy Graham as one of two dominant influences in his life.

Career Cassidy founded and led African Enterprise in Pietermaritzburg, Kwazulu-Natal since 1961. Charles E. Fuller who was the founder of Fuller Theological Seminary helped Michael Cassidy get started on African Enterprise by identifying the first three board members for him (Bruce Bare, James Gorton and his secretary, Rose Baessler). He made his secretarial staff available to Michael plus a small loan of seed money and he provided five tickets for the first African Enterprise Team to travel to Pietermaritzburg, South Africa for the Pietermaritzburg Mission in 1961.

In 1992, Billy Graham asked Michael Cassidy to visit Nelson Mandela after Graham had received a letter from Mandela. Cassidy presented Mandela with a signed copy of Billy Graham's book Peace with God. He was instrumental in bringing the Conference to Cape Town, South Africa in 2010. He was also recognised as Fuller Theological Seminary's Distinguished Alumnus of 2012.

Honours Member of Order of Simon of Cyrene

Works

A witness Forever: The Dawning of Democracy in South Africa. Publisher Oasis